Canon has announced a new firmware update for the Canon EOS C500 Mark II cinema camera (buy here). The latest update expands the camera’s Cinema RAW Light capabilities.

Previously frame rates beyond 30fps limited you to 10-bit bit depth. Now, with the new update, Canon is adding three more Cinema RAW Light profiles. These profiles add 12-bit Cinema RAW Light capture to all frame rates.

It’s unclear if this is the complete list of changes coming in the new firmware update or if this is just the headline feature. The firmware itself isn’t actually going to be released until March 21st. We’ve reached out to Canon for confirmation and will update this post when they reply.

For now, here’s today’s complete announcement from Canon:

Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, is excited to announce the latest firmware update to the EOS C500 Mark II, with an enhancement of the camera’s Cinema RAW Light capabilities. Up until now, the EOS C500 Mark II was able to shoot 12-bit RAW video at up to 30 frames per second, and 10-bit at frame rates beyond that. Canon is now adding three new Cinema RAW Light formats which will provide 12-bit recording at all frame rates.  With the addition of Cinema RAW Light LT (light recording), ST (standard quality), and HQ (high quality) formats, the EOS C500 Mark II will now have four different RAW recording options, a first in the Cinema EOS lineup.  12-bit RAW at high frame rates provides a tremendous boost to Canon’s already-distinguished color science, with enough data provided to render over 68 billion colors. 

Canon’s proprietary Cinema RAW Light format offers a significant reduction in file size without sacrificing image quality or grading and compositing headroom.  Available on all four current Cinema EOS models, the Cinema RAW Light format allows filmmakers to realize the widest dynamic range of the camera’s sensor in a file that’s approximately a third to a fifth of the size of a standard Cinema RAW file.

Availability 

This firmware update for the Canon EOS C500 Mark II is scheduled for March 21, 2024.

I expected Canon to make some kind of statement about recent developments in raw video, but this isn’t quite what I had in mind. With Nikon recently acquiring RED and the future of raw video patents uncertain, we’re all waiting to see how the other camera manufacturers will respond.

I suppose adding three new Canon Cinema RAW Light profiles to the Canon EOS C500 Mark II will have to do for now. But it will be interesting to see what else the future holds for raw video in the world of mirrorless cameras.

The update is slated for release on March 21st and will be available to download from the Canon website.